Why Your Workout Don’t Pay Off and What to Do About It

You work out 3-5 times a week, sweat in every session, and attempt to eat clean – yet that number on the scale wouldn’t bulge. You’re probably asking yourself ‘What am I doing wrong?’, ‘Why I can’t get control over my own body?’ and even consider cutting down your portion sizes to make sure you get to that toned body you want so badly.

But hold on before you do – chances are it will make things worse.

Here are 3 reasons you can’t get rid of those extra pounds despite workouts:

• your cardio makes you so hungry that you eat back all those calories you’ve just burned
• Your meals & snacks still add up to more calories than those you burn during the day, including workouts
• You push your body too much without adequately feeding yourself, and your body turns the stress mode on – holding on to the fat and… worst of worst burning that muscle mass you’ve been working on building so hard (and this is where the idea to cut down on your portions will make things more grim).

So what can you do about these and finally get toned?

Here’s how I help clients with similar problems and what could also work for you:

1. Start by logging your meals into calorie tracking software, like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal.
   • I know this ain’t fun, but hear me out: You don’t have to do it forever, only for a short period of time (it may be a few days or weeks) to grasp how many calories you’re consuming regularly and whether you are undereating or overeating calories for your activity levels. Based on that, you can choose the correct approach for your weight loss path – cutting calories or potentially reversing dieting you’ve been on for far too long (if you’re an active adult who eats under 1500 kcal regularly, chances are you are undereating and may consider the latter option).
2. If you’re overeating, look into the areas where you could lower the amount of calories:
   • lower cravings and find ways to feel full with less – this usually works with eating less fat & simple carbs and upping your protein and fiber intake.
   • learn to be in touch with your body while you’re at your meal – slow down, remove distractions and listen to the fullness cues your body is sending you.
   • find a technique that works for you to get through emotions if you’re an emotional eater. It could be a meditation, a walk, a talk to a loved one, or another helpful technique – I love to either dissolve emotions or self-coach myself by addressing the thoughts running in my mind. I share these self-coaching techniques with my clients in my nutrition coaching program – and they even show incredibly useful outside of food intake.
3. If you’re undereating – you gotta increase your calorie intake – but do so smartly. It doesn’t mean you can go on and load on pizza & cakes.
   • A balanced and healthy increase in calories will help signal your body you’ve got enough food to cover your needs and it can chill with holding on to fat.
   • As a positive side-effect, your energy levels will increase and you’ll be able to do more fun stuff during your day. One client had her libido go up, and she said she finally had the energy to give her partner a massage! How amazing is that?
4. Consider exchanging cardio for strength training 🏋️‍♀️ Strength training is more effective for weight loss as you build muscle mass that burns more calories (and so you increase your metabolism). You also lower cortisol spikes – the stress hormone that makes you gain weight, especially around your waistline.
5. Make sure all your essential nutrients are in an optimal spot 👌
   • If they’re not, you’re risking driving yourself into cravings & biochemical stress. That may prevent your body from functioning properly and getting into that prime shape you wanna be in 🔥

Hope this helps you get an idea in which direction to look to drop those extra pounds and finally feel comfy in your own body 💃

Grab my free guide to get more tips on how to lose weight while feeling full & enjoying your meals (as a vegan)!

Ready to get help on your weight loss journey and make it finally work? To feel good in your skin, gain back your self-esteem and feel like yourself again?

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